Cable pay-out and take-up device



Dec. 23, 1941. E, R, MORA O 2,267,209

CABLE PAY-OUT AND TAKE-UP DEVICE Filed Dec. 7, 1939 I I V I INVENTOR. Fma n u MOFd/Ida Patented Dec. 23, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE2,267,209 j 7 I I CABLE PAY-OUT AND AKEUP- DEVICE" Emanuel R. Morando,lironx, 4 Application December 7, 1939, Serial No. 308,020

1 Claim. (Cl. 191-122) i This invention relates to improvements in cablepayout and takeup devices and has for an object the provision of adevice of such character to be mounted stationarily and yet pay out andtake up a cable connected to and supplying current for operating aportable electrically driven mechamsm.

Another object of the provision, in a device of the character stated,-of a cylindrical roller for the electrical cable, and a frame supportingsaid roller, 2. swivel'mounting for said frame; and means defining apath along which-the frame may move on its swivel mounting. 7 A furtherobject of the invention is the provision, in a device of the characterstated of a reel for the cable, spring means within the body of the reelfor'effecting the taking-up of cable paid out from said reel, andadjustable ratchet means for restraining the movement of the reel in thedirection of theurge of the spring, the ratchet means being releasableby a quick pull and release of the cable when it is desired to takeupthe latter. Yet another object of the invention is the'provision of aspring loaded cable reel -'and novel means for winding up the spring toa wanted setting and locking it in such setting.

Other objects are directed toward simple arrangements for safeguardingthe plug in connection between the cable and the machine, to which it isconnected, against being pulled apart and breaking the circuit while themachine is being normally operated.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing my new cabledevice mounted on the ceiling and having a feed cable therefor pluggedinto a convenient wall socket;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the device shown in Figure 1, with thefeed cable omitted for the sake of clarity; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the cable clip shown in Figure 1.

Referring now to Figure 1, a plate I may be secured to a support, suchas the ceiling I I in any suitable manner, as by screws I2. Formedintegral with the plate II] is a boss l3 which supports a socket I4.

The socket I4 is split into two halves, I5 and I6 by a slot I9 whichalso extends into the boss I3. A hole at right angles to the slotaccommodates a bolt I! which in turn carries a nut I8, the purpose ofwhich will presently be described.

An H shaped bracket 20 comprised of downwardly projecting legs 2| and 22spaced apart from each other and joined by a cross web- 23, ispreferably formed integral with the base or plate I 0, in spacedrelation to the socket I4. The inner faces of the. legs 2| and22 .up tothe web 23,.as welllas the lower face of the web 23 may be covered by astrip 24which may be of rubber, felt, :or any otherdesired material.

A second H shapedbracket'25 which may be identically like the bracket 20is also formed in: tegral with the plate II], and spaced apart from thesocket I4. I

A yoke 26 has an apex portion 21, angular portions 28 and 29 andvertical portions 30 and 3| made integral in the general form of aninverted V. 1 1 a Thevertical portion 30 terminates in a horizontal boss32 and the vertical portion 3| termina'tes in a horizontal boss 33. Thebosses 32 and 33 .have'central holes formedthereinin align mentwith eachother. These bosses are split and are held together by'means of screwsas shown. The hole in the boss 33 forms a bearing for the reel" shaft,to presently be described, and the boss 32 is adapted to hold itsportion of the reel shaft stationary,'a set screw 34 being provided forthe purpose. I

A ball 35 which fits the socket I4 has 'a'shank portion 36' whichshoulders against the apex 21 when the threaded extension 31 of theshank is screwed into the apex 21. The angular portions 28 and 29 arepositioned between the legs of the H brackets 25 and 20 respectively andare retained between said legs at all times. By means of the bolt I Iand the nut I8 the grip of the socket on the ball may be adjusted, forexample, so that the yoke may remain in any position into which it ismoved.

A modification of the arrangement described contemplates the omission ofthe H yokes, thereby permitting the yoke to swivel in all directions. Insuch an event the grip of the socket on the ball would of necessity betighter.

The cable reel generally designated by the numeral 35 consists of atubular member 36 having a hole 31 extending longitudinallytherethrough. A stud shaft 38 fits the hole 31 at one end thereof and issecured to the tubular member in any suitable manner. The end 39 ofthestud shaft is journaled in the boss 33. The other end of the hole 31 isprovided with a bushing 40, and a stud shaft has a portion 4| journaledin the bushing 40 and a portion of reduced diameter fitting the hole inthe boss 32 and adapted to be secured therein by the set-screw 34 abovereferred to. A helical spring 42 is positioned in the hole 31 in thetubular member 36, one end being anchored by a through bolt 43 and. theother end being secured to the stud shaft 4| by an anchor stud 44.

A ratchet wheel 45 is secured to the shaft 4!, and a cup shaped member46 has a hole therein riding the shaft 4| between the ratchet wheel 45,and the end of the tubular member and has a rim portion fitting theoutside of the tubular member. A pawl 4'! is carried on the cup memberand engages the ratchet wheel 45. A boss 48 is carried by the rim and isthreaded to accommodate a set-screw 49. This set-screw may be loosenedand the cup may be turned to wind up the spring I 42 to any desiredtension after which it may again be tightened to retain the settingobtained.

A flange 50 is secured to the tubular member 36 near the cup shapedmember, and' near the other end are mounted metal slip rings and 52 on asuitable double spool 53 havingflanges- 54, 55, and 56. A stud 51,connected to the ring 5| projects from the side face of the flange 54. Asecond stud designated by the numeral 58 is connected to the ring 52 andalso projects from the side face of flange 54. The cable 59 carried onthe reel has its two wires at one end connected to said studs, and hason its other end a suitable connector fitting 65 for connection to anyportable or dirigible electrically driven device (not shown).

Sli'dabl'e on the cable 55 is a hickey also shown enlarged in Figure 3.The hickey may beformed of hard or spring brass and when placed on thecable is normally looked, but. may be released by pressing the ends 6tand 52 toward each other, after which it may be slid to any desiredposition and locked there by releasing said ends. A hock member 53 fitsin the hole 64, and a spring 64 has one end secured to the hook 63 andits other end provided with a ring 65 which may be secured to themachine or device to which the fitting 66 is connected, the position ofthe clamp 60 being so adjusted to cause the cable between the clamp'fiiland the fittingfGB to loop. This prevents the fitting from beingdisconnected'as the device is moved about.

The reel works similar to a window shade rollei', freelypaying out cableas the latter is pulled,

and taking up the cable under the power of the spring 42 when the cableis pulled and suddenly released (due to the pawl 41 releasing theratchet under the urge of centrifugal force).

A bar 61 of insulating material is secured to the vertical portion 3| ofthe yoke by means of screws 68, and carries brush holders 69 and 10. Thebrush-holder 69 has a brush contacting the slip ring 5|, and thebrush-holder has a brush contacting the slip ring 52. A cable H carriesa connector plug 12 on one end which may be plugged into the outlet 13,and the two wires of the cable are, at the other end, connected to thebrush holders 69 and Ill. A suitable clamp 14 engages the cable and issecured to the support 51 by means of a screw 15.

The ball and socket joint permits the yoke to swing: to many positionson each side of the horizontal and due to the rugged construction of andnovel arrangement of the parts, portable machines and other electricaldevices may be used in connection with my new and improved reel almostwith the same ease as if they had their cwnsources of power selfcontained.

The embodiment of the invention herein described is an example only andthe showing is not intended to be limitative of the invention.

I claim:

A cable pay out and take-up device of the character described, a reelcomprising in combl.-- nation a hanger frame including an attaching:plate having a depending socket bearing, a relatively movable yokeincluding opposed arms and having a ball bearing journalled in thesocket, bearings formed on'the ends of said arms, arevolvable springroller having thereon a cableadapted to be wound and unwound, said cablehaving a vertically depending working end, stub shafts carried by saidroller and disposed inthe arm bearings, andv guide means depending fromsaid plate, said means having pairs of spacedlegs disposed on oppositesides of said arms. whereby to limit the movement of the yoke as saidcable end is operated distant from the vertical position.

' EMANUEL R. MORANDO.

